Radio Atlantic, IA – AM 1220

Iowa utility still weighing future nuclear plant

February 11th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — MidAmerican Energy is still considering building a new nuclear power plant as part of its long-term plans in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports MidAmerican President William Fehrman told state regulators the utility may try to build a nuclear plant at some point. MidAmerican, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s Omaha, Nebraska based Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated, is converting coal plants at Council Bluffs and Sioux City to natural gas. And it has invested heavily in 2,200 megawatts of wind power capacity.

But Fehrman says he wants to make sure MidAmerican has a diverse mix of fuels, and he’s not convinced that natural gas will remain as cheap as it is now. The utility will provide more details of its plans this summer in a report to regulators.